Square Enix talks FFVII remake; new PS3 project

Everyone saw the breathtaking Final Fantasy VII demo when the PlayStation 3 was first announced back at E3 2005. But Square Enix has remained stern on the position that they would not present the world with a remake for the PS3. This, however, did not stop millions of people asking for one whenever the opportunity presented itself.

This week, Famitsu sat down executive producer Yoshinori Kitase, producer Hideki Imaizumi, director Hajime Tabata, and character designer Tetsuya Nomura to discuss Crisis Core and future iterations from Square-Enix.

[cloud360]

Whats this feeling. ...

That feeling. the past....(so exvciting am typing incorrectly)

when it came out this came was so Epic and big.....

I swear its a feeling icant describe... i wanted it to be remade but no nowing its gonna happen i got this feeling....whats the word to descrbie

This music in FF thats it , its the past coming back... such a feeling of epic and freiendship .WHy is friendship getting into this.....
friend madet he hype. ahhhh what is it. Iits excitiment ot somet)

-------------

I swear if this game is announced am either gonna steal money to buy a ps3 straight away

or loan it...... I SWEARRRRRRR

[cloud360]

How i became almost a ps3 fanboy:

2005: I loved every console an i wanted each one.... i didnt know much about video games.... I loved video games so much

2006: I became an FFX fan and i began thanking Square and SONY for influencing my life....

2007: I began supporting sony at this time i played every FF game on PS console. (i hate FFXI worst game ever: only on the 360, shows they get sh*t rpgs only).... I was 51% sony and 49% 360... coz FF on PS

Present: I know about the war... Faboys take the pisss... i began supporting sony so much thats now that this is announced.......

I AM PS Fanboy all becuase of FF

[Marona]

Final Fantasy XI is not a X360-Only title.

[PS360WII]

Yea FFXI started out on PC then came to PS2 and finally over to 360. It's a premier game and you can consider it the good version of XII.

[achira]

a remake would be nice, i played only ff9, and this game was very good.

[Bebedora]

FF X takes that game easily and makes it feel as a mediocher exp. Not to mention FF VII.

I am actually myself playing FF IX(9) right now. It is charming and all, but the story is it's weakness.

[REbirth]

FF9 would look beautiful to on ps3 :D and 8 and 7:( i and to play all of them again with better graphics and engines:P and with some new special things:P

please Mr. Square do that for mee..and for all the other guys that love FF...i said in ps3 cus i thing almost 90% of the fans played it on a sony console:P

i'm playin dragon quest by now on ps2...cus it's a game that really makes me remember the FF but without FMV :P

[Watkins]

FF9 is in my oppinion almost as good as 7. played through 10 recently. And I didn't like it at all. No feeling at all, and I don't know why. It just wasn't there.

[Power of Red]

try ff x-2, it will makes u go WTF............

[GoLeafsGo]

No--this isn't Kingdom Hearts III, which was already touted to be unveiled for the PlayStation 3 console at TGS.

...So..it's..coming to the PS3...for sure?

[AznSniper]

I guess so.....it's kind of expected anyways

[Baba1906]

ff7 remake would be soooo great. when i played ff 7 the first time i couldnt belive my eyes. the story was so great and the gameplay was so much fun. i fell in love with rpgs. i would pay any price for that game.

[riksweeney]

Judging by the number of people screaming for this remake, I think it would shift a very significant number of consoles if it was released as an exclusive, which it most likely will be.

Final Fantasy X was better though.

[Baba1906]

well for me, i like 7 most of all.
wont count the once before 7 couse cant remember them that well =D long time ago.
1. ff7
2. ff12
3. ff10
4. ff9
5. ff8

[gunnerforlife]

if they deside to make a remake than boi the ps3 has 1 this war already:D

[WAR_MACHINE77]

I don't think it would be won... but the gap in installed units would disappear over night without a doubt. FFVII would get millions of preorders in the first week

[THC CELL]

if ff7 comes out game over x box

[Cartesian3D]

that would be nice to see Cloud in FF13 ....

GOD plz give me a NEXT GEN FFVII :( .. plzz....

[rev20]

remake would be great, and final fantasy 7 is my favourite game ever.

but i know exactly whats goin to happen throughout the game, which would take a bit of the edge away

[synetic]

ff6 remake would be much better but ff7 its not bad

[SorenK]

woot! I COMPLETELY agree! FF6 for life!

Anyways, if they remake 7 with those amazing graphics, throw in a few extras or tweaks, I would buy a PS3 the day it is released!

[ItsDubC]

FF6 > FF7 in every way except graphics. I'm probably a minority on this site in that an FF7 remake would definitely not push me to buy a PS3. An FF6 remake would, however. Props to those who know the greatness that is FF6.

[Rooftrellen]

FF6 was the best, one of the best games ever.

However, I don't really want to see remakes. Final Fantasy always did have good graphics for the time, but it was never about graphics. FF6, FF7, FF3 (another gem), none of them need to be remade, because you can play them, bad graphics as they may be, now, and still enjoy them to their fullest.

I would rather see development on a new game than an update on graphics for a game that doesn't need them.

[Fighter]

But please let us be able to save Aeris this time.

[WAR_MACHINE77]

no way! they have to leave it the same. Everyone remembers that moment because of the impact it had on just about everyone who played it. If they changed it they might as well not make the game at all.

[RadientFlux]

"Everyone remembers that moment because of the impact it had on just about everyone who played it."

I agree, but I think it impacted me differently then with most. I didn't really care for her character so I was actually sort of pleased.

[risk]

ah u bastard...i shed a tear for her :(

[Power of Red]

when she died, i gone crazy "wtf do i lvl u up for, damn it." i failed my final exam because of this game..........good time

[rev20]

After just thinking then the remake would be worthwile if they included voice overs for all characters, that would be awesome, id definitly buy it then.

[Cartesian3D]

FFXIII , FF versus XIII , Kingdom Hearts 3 , possible FF7 remake ... YES POSSIBLE FF7 remake..

thats enough to make a Console a WINNER .. even Dreamcast RIGHT NOW

just say u will see FF7 nexgen in " put a console name " then u are a winner..

[LeShin]

If FFVII was ever remade on the PS3, you can bet your kidney PS3 sales in at least Japan would spiral out of control since according to Famitsu, a LOT of FF fans in Japan would want it.
It probably shift a few consoles in the rest of the world as well :)

I would buy the FF remake in a heartbeat!

[Cartesian3D]

u can count on 11 million sells or even more..

I think that will sell 15 million copies.. and number of PS3 will be 14,999,999 . because I will buy it twice .. and wont open one pack.. and keep it in a COOL and DRY place..

[Observer]

Square Enix are pragmatic.

They could have easily jumped on the x360 bandwagon, and guaranteed it's success in japan... but they know that Ps3 hardware is, on the longterm, better, and they can outdo themselves on it in the future.

Something like FFXIII, if capable on the X360, would max out the machine's potential.

Anyway, let's leave console talk and analysis for the corporates and journalists.. all i want is games, games, and more games.

Final Fantasy 7's remake will kick your asses :p.

[J@D]

I need my FF7:remake ASAP. I love the idea about the remake so bring it S-E.

[Percy]

beyond the beyond and final fantasy 7 are the reasons i am a Playstation fan. I was a big fan of squaresoft unfortunately that company no longer exists. I am not a very big fan of squarenix and thus haven't enjoyed much what they have recently brought to market with a few exceptions. i don't think they make horrible games i just don't get that same final fantasy feeling. ill never have squaresoft back but if they made this game i might at least be able to sit back and reminisce.

[Shadow Flare]

but an interesting thing that no-one seems to pick up on is a little clue square-enix gives away in the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. On one of the extras on the dvd, there is a FFVII remeniscence that sums up the psone game in 10 minutes. There are about 4 intervals throughout this remeniscence that show the advent children version of Cloud on the phone to several FFVII characters all telling Cloud to meet up with Yuffie because she has something for him. When Cloud gets Yuffie's gift, it's a sign which reads 'Closed for Business'. The obscurity of this to me sounds like an FFVII remake. And as an avid FFVII fan myself, i know that this isn't merely a great game, but a special game to many people AND its creators. I'm 100% certain it will be remade, but square-enix simply needs to get FFXIII out the way first

[Maldread]

Interesting, i hope you`re right, because a FF7 remake would be great if done right. I don`t think it will happen tough, unfortunately :(

For now, i just want Crisis Core to turn out good. If it does, i`ll pick up a PSP asap.

[Real gamer 4 life]

I am Wishing for a remake of this game. this game was one of the best rpg that ever came out. this is why i love playstation because of rpg, i am a huge final fantasy fan. I would buy to copys of this game, so that one could stay fresh.

[paracardium]

Excellent it would be nice to play it again with Ps3 technology.

[360RULEZ]

What's the big deal about ?

FF7 isn't even confirmed. And even if you take what the dev said as a clue, about FF7 being a matter of time ... it's not confirmed as an exclusive for ps3.

The way I see it .. ps3 gets ffxiii ... Microsoft Xbox360 gets FFVII remake since the original was already on a sony platform

[Shadow Flare]

AHAHA HAHA HA HA!!!!

[resistance100]

LOL LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL you seriously think it works like that.

I expect a FF7 remake, but i can't see it being out until 2010 the earliest

[cr33ping_death]

oh my god that has to be funniest fanboy post of the year. lol lol lol

ok ok hold on....no no lol lol lol.

[J@D]

cr33ping_death. I'm completely agree with ya' (a bubble 4 u) and also it's the most funny comment of the year... seriously!!!. Someone need a new way of thought or a new brain ASAP ^_^. Just joking around nothing personal.

[Skerj]

OMG I did not just see that hahahahahahahaha WOW just WOW. Some fanboys just defy logic to a whole new level.

[paracardium]

360rulez sorry I doubt the 360 could handle it and exactly it was on the original ps platform and it should stay on a ps platform.Like Metalgear solid...

[ItsDubC]

As a side note, neither MG nor FF started on Sony platforms.

[resistance100]

Metal Gear didn't, however Metal Gear Solid DID

[GnaM]

Interesting to hear that Tetsuya Nomura and the rest of the FFVII-X team are working on XIII, and not the XII/Vagrants Story/Tactics team. Don't know if that was confirmed before.

Given how long it's taking them to get anywhere with FFXIII, and the fact that it will be a miniseries unto itself, we won't be seeing that VII remake (even if it does actually happen) any time in the near future...probably not till the last half of the PS3's life span.

[sumfood4u]

More over I'd rather them make a new PS3 MMORPG like FFXI but maybe might be FFXIV=FF14. I prefer that 1st than FF7 remake. just how I feel about that, I mean isn't it time PS3 had their MMORPG, an I don't mean DC comics, or Marvel Alliance. Either EQ2 or Fianl Fantasy MMORPG will make me happy!

[Shadow Flare]

No really, it really would be game over xbox 360.

When FFVII released in Japan (this is no lie) the game sold pretty much exactly the same amount of copies as there were existing psone's in japan. Thats right, practically everyone who had a psone in japan had this game.

Not to mention the millions of FFVII fans around the world. And for the record, a game like this would NEVER come to xbox 360. Simply because:

a)FFVII is an iconic playstation title
b)All of FF7's fans are likewise playstation fans
c)Xbox 360 is doing absolutley crap in Japan
d)For a remake of a game like this, Square would want the best hardware available - PS3
e)Why wasn't FF7-Crisis Core on Nintendo DS since its the best seller?
f)You don't have to know any facts, if you're a true FF7 fan, you'll know it will always stay with playstation
g)And if you're a true FF7 fan, you know this game WILL be remade for the PS3

[Real gamer 4 life]

This would be so awesome if they do. I hope they announce it. I mean they should make it, they know they will make money of it. Sony Should talk to them about it.

[MrWonderful]

Its coming i dont know why they keep on saying because now they are saying a decision will be made soon. I expect to hear at TGS so they will steal the spotlight from halo. Oh and a port of crisis core to ps2 would be nice as well

[J@D]

Why don't buy up PSP then? There a bunch of Good game out there and plenty to come...?

About the TGS and FFVII:remake pop-up and make the center of attention... IT COULD HAPPEN!

[Azures]

We also need XIII to be as epic as VII.

[Real gamer 4 life]

This game is what made sony what it is today because of games like Final fantasy that has a huge fan base, and dont forget about metal gear aswell with another huge fanbase.

[resistance100]

Don't forget Gran Turismo the fanbase in europe is HUGE and theres a reason why GT4 was the best selling PS2 game. If sony market GT5 prologue well this xmas sony have a major system seller out this year.

Oh and don't forget PES,GTA and God Of War

[DwightOwen]

Just announce it already!

I swear by the way they're approaching this they are already secretly developing the remake or they simply don't like money.

[Darkiewonder]

Then I saw it was under Rumors. ahhhhhhhh. The pain.

[DEADEND]

Seriously this would be sweet, the game that made the PS stand out from the rest being remade for the PS3 thats great. If this is true then its a really really good time to be a PS3 owner, but what gets me is how would they make four games at the sametime(FFXIII,FFXIII VERIUS,KH3 AND FFVII)they would need a ton of man power for that to happen.

[DEADEND]

"What's the big deal about ?"

Dude FFVII is the most popular RPG ever made period at on point people thought of it as the best game ever created, the only game to have known to have made people cry seriously. People to this day still compare other RPG's to it and no other RPG can stand up to it even other FF games.

"The way I see it .. ps3 gets ffxiii ... Microsoft Xbox360 gets FFVII remake since the original was already on a sony platform"

The way I see it the game would be on the PS3 because FFVII made the PS and the 360 is not that popular for selling RPG's. But if it were multi-platform then that would be another thing all together, and I can say SQUIRE ENIX would do that instead. And if it were multi-platform that would be great for everyone, its FFVII everyone should play it and see how its the greatest RPG game ever created.

[tplarkin7]

I don't think there should be a "remake". We've already had RE and MGS remakes and they really didn't feel like new games. A sequel to FFVII would be far better.

To those that think a FFVII remake would doom 360, I disagree. Final Fantasy has a large fanbase, but a remake won't compel them as much as a new FF.

[gololo]

OMG....reading this almost made me cry (just like I cried when Aeris died :( ) Just imaging new HD videos of Genova or Sephiroth, or the Weapons videos in HD! (I just got goose bumps thinking about this!!!) This needs to happen, I simply refuse to believe that they made that video for E3 just to show PS3 capabilities, please just re-make it....don't touch the materia system, don't touch the story line, just re-make the models and the CG! This is the greatest rumor ever and I really hope to God to it becomes a reality.

[sleekblackroadster]

the more i think about this the less i want it to happen.

the simple truth is we need xiii to be a modern day epic that is for ps3 what vii was for psone.

we need a story that is more immersive and i like to use the word bada$$. i really enjoyed the more 'down to earth grungy cyberishness' thing a lot more than the wispy european funny clothes stuff in the other ff games and i think they would do well to go back to that dark bada$$ modern world setting. i know some of you like the femboys in the clouds approach but i much prefer cloud in the darkness with a huge huge sword and a sidekick with a machine gun arm tearing up isht.

vii and viii were bada$$ games.. vii moreso imo because it was just so well done in every aspect. really a perfect game for its time. every step of the way through that game i was impressed and completely immersed in their world. the opening was incredible and got you connected to those characters in such a powerful way.. fighting the corp. and as it unraveled and the mysteries started to come together you really really really could not wait to see what happened next. the elements like the world map and having the chocobos to race were also so addicting and enthralling.. and the minigames in the arcade not to mention the storyline based minigames like the sub game and the protect the mountain thing really were well done distractions.

one of my favorite parts was just something as simple as being able to buy the beach house.. you just felt so much like you were that character and you were a bada$$ for being able to ball hard after coming up from the slums.

the plot twists and unexpected elements that kept popping up are just something they don't do quite as well with the games since.. at least not from my pov.

my favorite game since vii and viii was x but i just didn't feel as much like i WAS the characters and i was IN that world even though the gpx were better and the voices and everything. with x i was just watching these characters go through this video game world and i never got drawn in. its kind of like a great book the way you could immerse yourself in the story of vii so i just think the most important part is getting that bada$$ness into the story.

everyone stop asking square to make a remake of the game. its not the right thing for them to do. ask them to make xiii as bada$$ as vii was. for the love of all that is gaming.

[Bleucrunch]

Can square-enix's bank account handle all the money it would get from a final fantasy XII remake???? and Kingdom Hearts 3 oh my gosh cant wait for that one...............

[Naruto]

do you even know is the publisher of FF7 in US and Europe Guess Who?

[vidoardes]

I am huge Final Fantasy fan, and FFVII is in my eyes the best in the series. I know it would sell like hotcakes, and be the easiest money every made, but I wouldn't like to see a remake, and there are several reasons why:-

a) When the original came out, RPG was almost an unknown word in the western world. The reason this game was so influential was because it brought RPG's to the majority of the western gamers. This kind of impact cannot be replicated, simply because of the popularity of RPG's. IT only has itself to blame in that respect.

b) Any one who played the Final Fantasies (1 - 6) BEFORE they played VII (I know this will be very few people on this board) will realize how radically different this game was from it predecessors. It was the first top make use of 3D, and I am a firm believer that we won't see a jump in gaming like 2D to 3D until a respectable level of VR is achieved, and even then that will be a progression not a revolution. So anyone who hasn't played the original is never going to feel that leap in technology, graphics, and sheer enormity of gameplay like those of use lucky enough to experience this in the original. This revolution in gameplay attributed to it's massive success, and once again, can't be replicated on the same scale.

c) The people who will buy this game will be one of three people
1. People who played the first and loved it
2. People who have played VIII to XII and enjoyed them
3. People who have heard so much good about the original

Now the people who fall into the third category will probably be disappointed, because of the reasons I mentioned above, they won't be able to re-capture the same magic as before. The people who fall into the second category will probably get the most enjoyment out of a remake because they will be experiencing a great game for the first time in a genre they love. The people like myself who fall into the first category are ironically, the people screaming for a remake, but will enjoy it the least.

The game could be remade in one of 2 ways. The first is that it could simply get a graphical overhaul, but even then, this will change the way the game plays. Alot of the areas relied on you spotting gaps in the environment to get to secrets, and the jump to 3D environments could ruin this. Try imagining navigating the world map in high def graphics. Can't really be done without major changes. Even if they try and get it as close to the original as possible, but looking as gorgeous as that teaser, it will leave a sour taste in our mouths. It may look fantastic, but it will be exactly the same as before. We will know the story, the plot twists, all of the secrets and their locations, and we would breeze through the game because you would know where to go and what to do. Half of the game in the original was exploration (I personally missed Gongaga completely and had to go back to find it).

The other way they could do the remake is to change it. Change the way you get from place to place, change all of the secrets and the side quests. But then it wouldn't be the same game, and no matter how good it was, it would be disappointing because it was nothing like the original, they just used the same story. I honestly don't believe even the mighty square could do Final Fantasy VII justice with a remake, and although it would sell by the million, it would tarnish the legend that is FFVII.

[gololo]

You make very good points...but as far as secret locations go...I played that game a long time ago (and I replayed a total of 4 times) and I don't remember the location of everything and the order that it has to be done. I also fall in the 1st category, and I regard VI to be also a pretty darn good one (I'd rate it above X). But, I would love to see this game in HD, I love this game too much and I'd support SE to run this risk of re-making the game. I really hope that if they decide to re-make they are responsible enough not to damage FFVIIs reputation

[sleekblackroadster]

nice post.

[Naruto]

Sony Is the publisher of PS version in US and EU

[Shaka2K6]

Was the best game in the PSX/n-64/sega saturn Era.
hands down one of the best games of all time.

If they make it for PS3, x360 can say bye bye, specially since its so dead in Japan, this should be the best news of the year when they confirmed it. and they should add the gameplay from FFXII, like the 1st time you get out of midgar, its freaking sweet when r u walking around the world in 3D master piece.

[SuperSaiyan4]

Very good for SE to make a FF7 remake they would turn in HUGE amounts of profits! I have a PS3 and I tried playing FF7 on the PC and well graphically it sucked so I got rid of it...Dont hate me I bought it at very late period and I love my visuals lol.

But a remake for the PS3? I am sold.

[jackdoe]

You know what would be better than a remake? The video game sequel that Advent Children should have been. Anyway, does anyone know when Advent Children Complete is coming to Blu-ray? Would really like to pick it up.

[SJL480]

This is what I like to see there are a few uncalled for shots at 360 but this has mainly been a discussion of what gamers want. I guess those few shots will warrant a response but it's nice while it lasts.

I have owned both systems and both systems own period.

[Foliage]

Arguably the greatest game ever created. The chaos a remake of this game would create around the world.

I'd pre-order this game in a second, and I never pre-order my games.

[crippler666]

IMO this game would sell off the charts.

This is one of, if not the best selling game of all time.

I would love to see this remade, maybe a few new twists.

Shove it on the PSN and watch PS3 go from number 3 to number 1 in weeks.

I know its not to everyones taste, but there are enough FFVII nuts to do it.

[Adamalicious]

I just can't seem to think of any rational reason for them to not remake FF7 - so I think it will happen. It's been long enough since it came out originally that it'll be new to a lot of gamers who have probably heard about how great it was but never played it.

I agree that if they are going to do it we won't hear anything until after FF13 is released.

[jackdoe]

Off topic, but Crisis Core looks sick. Will probably buy a PSP for when it comes out. And with the TV connection that would be even sweeter.

[fopums]

It's obvious if they do actualy remake the masterpiece...the internet WILL break

[Xwow]

square-enix all the way :D

[Xiru]

I think square enjoys having the power to sway the console war. Everyone thinks its Sony or Nintendo who holds that power, but it is in the hands of developers like Square. With this one game I believe they can shift the Japanese market to adopt the PS3 at a faster rate than the Wii. Of course Sony could solidify this by dropping the PS3 price a bit more. A one two punch and the other systems would be down for the count. I don't think Square wants to release the remake before they see how well FF13 does. It makes sense for them to wait. But I do believe it will eventually happen.

[BezerkerX]

The only way sony are going to win back their followers that are beginning to stray to the xbox 360 is with a FFVII remake.
I strongly disagree with people who claim that we should be out with the old and in with the new,i personally would love to see the original storyline with much smoother, more graphical attacks and the 'wow factor' that FFX's Aeons caused.
A FFVII Remake for ps3 would sell, everybody knows this and it's widely known that final fantasy is among the worlds biggest franchise,so why don't the people who disagree with me just leave,im afraid your seriously outnumbered, live in denial all you want.